HYDERABAD: Prehistoric rock paintings, stone tools and burial sites revealing human settlement thousands of years ago around Hyderabad have been lost to granite quarrying and urban growth.
Sites near Turkapally Cheruvu, Lotti Kattina and Chitthaaru Gundu in Dasarlapalli, and Dhanam Gundu near Maisamma Gandi have disappeared, raising concern among historians and archaeologists who demand systematic surveys, boundary mapping and protection of surviving remains.
Historian Dr Dyavanpalli Satyanarayana said these sites prove Hyderabad’s history predates the Qutub Shahi and Vishnu Kundi periods. “We have already lost many sites to urbanisation. There is also an undeciphered script at BNR hills in Jubilee Hills,” he noted. His explorations in Dasarlapalli and Yadaram identified 10 rock art sites within a four‑km radius, with ochre paintings of bulls, elephants, hunting scenes and human figures, now destroyed by quarrying.
BNR hills and Raidurg, once containing ancient markings and cup‑shaped depressions linked to prehistoric activity, have vanished. Findings there complement breakthroughs at Tabelu Gundu by archaeologists E. Sivanagi Reddy and Sriramoju Haragopal, showing granite formations near Jubilee Hills served as seasonal habitations between 4000–2000 BC.
Mrugavani National Park preserves grooves used for sharpening tools and animal paintings. Hasmathpet and Bollarum have megalithic cist burials, while the University of Hyderabad campus holds stone circles and cairns. Uppal too is associated with ancient burials.
Haragopal said Kokapet was destroyed despite a court case. “Narapally, Hasmathpet, Hayathnagar and Moulali were once large prehistoric sites. Urbanisation has erased many within residential areas. Palaeolithic tools at Manchirevula are also disappearing. Despite awareness, people continue to damage these remains,” he warned.
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